An uncharacteristically animated Sonia Gandhi today led the Lok Sabha Opposition's attacks on the "Godse a patriot" remark by a BJP member, who was forced to apologise unconditionally after his initial regrets were rejected.

The usually reticent Sonia was on her feet in the front row, shouting "Godse sarkar, hai hai (Down with the Godse government)" in her most aggressive posture against the Narendra Modi government till date.

Sakshi Maharaj, the saffron-clad MP from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, had yesterday publicly admitted his "mistake" hours after praising Mahatma Gandhi's killer outside Parliament, but had to express regret three times in the House today.

The Opposition began protesting as soon as the House assembled this morning and forced an adjournment.

Sakshi stood up to say he was taking his words back but needled the Opposition by broaching the 1984 anti-Sikh riots.

"(Nathuram) Godse killed Gandhi then, but Mahatma Gandhi was killed in 1984 when you killed the Sikhs," he said, inviting howls of anger.

Sonia was among the first to spring to her feet, overshadowing son Rahul Gandhi who too rose in protest.

Members from the Congress, Trinamul, Left, Samajwadi Party, Rashtriya Janata Dal and the Janata Dal United rushed to the well of the House demanding an "unconditional apology".

Parliamentary affairs minister Venkaiah Naidu condemned Sakshi's Godse remark and said the MP was ready to express regret, but took a potshot at the Opposition too.

But when the Opposition continued to protest, he added: "The entire country knows who are the people who are killing Mahatma Gandhi ideologically every day."

As the Opposition erupted at this, Speaker Sumitra Mahajan drily remarked: "From tomorrow I shall fix five minutes for apologies, given the way everybody is speaking."

With the Opposition having rejected his expression of regret, Sakshi was forced to rise again.

"I take back my words. My words pained some people and I express regret for this," he said.

But the Opposition refused to accept it, arguing the MP's statement had not just hurt "some people" but was an insult to the nation. It pressed for an "unconditional apology".

Eventually, Mahajan urged Sakshi to express regret in one sentence and end the matter.

"I take back my words and express regret before the House and the nation," the MP said. This led the Opposition to suspend their protest and allow the House to run.

Sakshi had yesterday said: "Godse was an aggrieved person. He may have done something by mistake but was no anti-national. He was a patriot."

He recanted after a furore, saying: "I don't consider him a patriot. I may have said something by mistake."Godse sarkar, cries Sonia

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There is no reason to praise a murderer, no matter how principled the motive may be to the murderer.

Therefore, Sahaksi chap;s praise was totally misplaced.

Yet, it is interesting to note that the 'Maut ka Saudagar' expert is shrilly exclaiming another catch all phrase 'Godse sarkar'/.

Helps her to keep up with the street level sentiments in Hindi I presume1